This page describes the magic system of the Sublight Universe. It summarizes everything I have already discusses in this blog, as well as across social media. When in doubt, this page is the authoritative source, and it will be kept up to date as the system evolves and develops. Archives of prior versions are located here.
The goal of the Chromodynamic Magic System is not to explain how magic works, so much as to provide a framework on which to organize all of the magical tropes from literature. My gold standard is to be able to classify every spell and ability from Dungeons and Dragons. Being able to also classify spells from the Harry Potter universe, Star Trek, and Star Wars are considered a stretch goal. Though, as you will see, they all draw on deeper tropes and are not as dissimilar as you would think.
In classifying magic, I have notices a few underlying rules:
In D&D there are magic schools. In the Harry Potter universe, mages tend to specialize. In Star Wars, you have two diametrically opposed Jedi and Sith.
The key to Chromodynamics is the use of the color wheel. Each "approach" to magic is a color. I use the Hue/Lightness/Saturation (HLS) color space. Some effects are described as different hues. Some effects are different lightnesses. We can describe mundane non-magical effects as simply being a neutral grey.
In addition, we can think of how the magic works on a scale from hard to soft, and rational to irrational. A great video that describes the hard/soft rational/irrational matrix is here:
Well all know our primary colors by now: Red, Green, and Blue. But those are only the primary colors of light. When you go to stock your printer, you need Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. These are the primary colors of dark. I.e. When you are trying to create a color by absorbing light instead of emitting light. Each color of light has an opposing color of dark. Abilities of opposites negate one another. D&D has 8 schools of magic, so I align each of those 8 with either a primary color on the center of the shape, or with an extreme of lightness or darkness:
Mana | Hue | Lightness | Opposite | D&D School | |
white | - | 100 | black | Abjuration | |
red | 0 | 50 | cyan | Evocation | |
yellow | 60 | 50 | blue | Conjuration | |
green | 120 | 50 | magenta | Divination | |
cyan | 180 | 50 | red | Illusion | |
blue | 240 | 50 | yellow | Transmutation | |
magenta | 300 | 50 | green | Enchantment | |
black | - | 0 | white | Necromancy |
Each of the colors of mana can be thought of as an approach to magic. In CDM, the personality of a mage determines the type of magic they do. In this way, we can also think of each color of mana as a strategy. For the purposes of this discussion, white and black lack a specific approach.
|
color | white |
school | Abjuration |
hue | - |
lightness | 100 |
opposite | black |
approach |
White magic is a balance of the light magics: red, green, and blue mana. Mages who specialize in this field must meticulously maintain a balance of all three, and they must avoid involvement in any of the darker arts: cyan, yellow, and magenta.
White mana concerns magic that creates barriers, blocks and protects against harm. It can ward a person or place against the presence of evil (or good), turn aside the blade of a sword, or guard the mind against outside influence.
Wizards who study white magic excel at banishing evil spirits, protecting against extraplanar incursions, and defeating practitioners of the other schools.
Sample Spells:color | red |
school | Evocation |
hue | 0 |
lightness | 50 |
opposite | cyan |
approach | Forceful |
Red magic focuses on channeling and conjuring elemental effects. Usually by hurling fireballs and calling down lighting. It also has the power to heal and bolster the mage's force of will.
Red mages tend to address problems with a forceful approach: direct action, applied with brute strength, and nothing in the way of subtlety.
Sample Spells:color | yellow |
school | Conjuration |
hue | 60 |
lightness | 50 |
opposite | blue |
approach | Quick |
Yellow magic is all about pulling things from thin air, or from another reality. It can also move things and people from one place to another. Yellow mages can create small inanimate items.
Yellow mages tend to address problems with a quick approach: high energy movements, dexterity, dodging, racing deadlines.
Sample Spells:color | green |
school | Divination |
hue | 120 |
lightness | 50 |
opposite | magenta |
approach | Careful |
Green mages seek to part the veils of space and time in order to master the skills of scrying, discernment, otherworldly knowledge, and foresight.
Green mages tend to address problems with a careful approach: Taking their time, paying attention to details, doing a thorough job.
Sample Spells:color | cyan |
school | Illusion |
hue | 180 |
lightness | 50 |
opposite | red |
approach | Sneaky |
Cyan mages manipulate the senses of others. As they increase in power, they start to be able to take ideas from their own mind and make them seem real.
Cyan mages tend to address problems with the sneaky approach: misdirection, stealth, deceit.
Sample Spells:color | blue |
school | Transmutation |
hue | 240 |
lightness | 50 |
opposite | yellow |
approach | Clever |
Blue magic deals with transformation. At low levels, transformations of material from one form to another. At higher levels, transformation of living beings.
Blue mages tend to address problems with the clever approach: Solving problems by operating on a higher level of thought.
Sample Spells:color | magenta |
school | Enchantment |
hue | 300 |
lightness | 50 |
opposite | green |
approach | Flashy |
Magenta magic focuses on influencing the minds and perception of others. It compels and charms people.
Magenta mages tend to address problems with the flashy approach: Using style and panache to draw attention and notoriety.
Sample Spells:color | black |
school | Necromancy |
hue | - |
lightness | 0 |
opposite | white |
approach |
Black magic is a balance of the three dark magics: cyan, yellow, magenta. It focuses on manipulating the boundaries between life and death. This power is generally at odds with white magic, as suck a black mage generally avoids red, blue, or green magic.
Sample Spells: